Learn what topics you should avoid during small talk in Norwegian
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
Intro |
|---|
| Michael: What topics are taboo in Norway? |
| Inger: And what are some things you should avoid doing? |
| Michael: At NorwegianClass101.com, we hear these questions often. Imagine the following scenario: Karen Lee has recently relocated to a remote town in rural Norway. She has already made friends with an older woman named Kristine Karlsen and, today, the two women are getting to know each other better over coffee. However, Karen is surprised by Kristine's shocked reaction when she asks her, "How much do you earn?" |
| Karen: Hvor mye tjener du? |
| Dialogue |
| Karen: Hvor mye tjener du? |
| Kristine: Det har jeg ikke lyst til å snakke om. |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| Karen: Hvor mye tjener du? |
| Michael: "How much do you earn?" |
| Kristine: Det har jeg ikke lyst til å snakke om. |
| Michael: "I am not comfortable talking about it." |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: In this lesson, we're going to look at various taboo topics and behaviors in Norway. When something is taboo, it means it's prohibited or |
| Inger: forbudt. |
| Michael: These prohibitions are usually unspoken societal rules or boundaries, but some are of a legal nature too. For instance, it's a social taboo and against the law in most countries to run around naked in the streets! You could even go to jail for this. That said—this is an extreme example of the consequence of ignoring a social taboo. Most often, crossing a social boundary will not cause you much trouble, but it could cause you to become a social pariah. Therefore, it's important to be aware of and heed social taboos. |
| Every culture has its own acceptable and unacceptable topics of discussion and social behaviors. For instance, in Brazillian culture, sex is not a forbidden topic for open discussion, and publicly flaunting one's sensuality is also completely fine there. However, in Norwegian, and many other cultures, it's considered impolite and crass to talk publicly about sex. Reasonably modest behavior and appearances are also the norm in countries like these. |
| That said, Norway has a modern, progressive culture in general, and, depending on the context, few things are completely taboo to discuss. As long as you remain respectful, considerate, and civil in your speech and behavior, talking about almost any topic is acceptable. |
| Are certain unspoken rules in Norwegian society still worth heeding if you don't want to offend anybody? Yes, depending on a few factors. Let's start with the taboo subject that came up in the dialogue at the start of this lesson. |
| [Recall 1] |
| Michael: Do you remember how Karen asks "How much do you earn?" |
| (pause 4 seconds) |
| Inger: Hvor mye tjener du? |
| Michael: With this question, Karen has touched on a taboo subject in certain Norwegian circles. Its unacceptability is clear from Kristine's shocked reaction, and she also expresses her unwillingness to discuss the topic. |
| [Recall 2] |
| Michael: Do you remember Kristine's reply, "I am not comfortable talking about it?" |
| (pause 4 seconds) |
| Inger: Det har jeg ikke lyst til å snakke om. |
| Michael: In this instance, Kristine's negative reaction to Karen's question is due to a number of factors. These include Kristine's older age, and the fact that she’s from a rural town. Furthermore, the two ladies don't know each other that well yet, so Kristine reacts differently to the way a younger, city-dwelling Norwegian chatting to an old and trusted friend would. Why is this so? |
| First of all, it has to do with the generation Kristine is from, which is an older one. Everywhere, meaning not only in Norway, the younger generation tends to be more liberal in their ways than older folks are. Secondly, Kristine's reaction relates to a Scandinavian social code called the Law of Jante, or |
| Inger: Janteloven. |
| Michael: According to this, it is extremely rude to discuss one's personal finances in public, or with someone you don't know that well. But more about the Law of Jante later. |
| Thirdly, in urban areas, more than in rural areas, people tend to challenge or ignore traditions and social codes more readily. This is probably due to the fact that, in general, city dwellers are more liberal and daring in their approach to life, while small-town societies are more retentive of traditions and older beliefs. |
| This only indicates general trends, of course, because older values and traditions can be honored anywhere, and free, liberal thinking is not confined to the city only. Also, young Norwegians may feel more free to talk about various topics compared to their elders, but conversations and opinions about money, |
| Inger: penger, |
| Michael: sexuality, |
| Inger: seksualitet, |
| Michael: and very personal feelings, |
| Inger: veldig personlige følelser, |
| Michael: are still shared only with close and trusted friends and family. For this reason, it is best not to raise any of these topics as a conversation starter with your newly acquainted Norwegian friend. |
| Norwegian society is not very religious, or: |
| Inger: religiøs. |
| Michael: Every person's right to practice the faith of their choice is protected by Norway's constitutional law. But, just like people all over the world, Norwegians don't like religious beliefs to be shoved down their throats. Therefore, don't try to convert them, and remain respectful and rational when discussing your own or any other person's religion. |
| The same goes for strong political opinions: |
| Inger: politiske meninger. |
| Michael: It's completely OK to discuss any political idea almost anywhere in Norway, as long as the conversation remains respectful, civil, and not overly emotional. |
| In fact, that's a good rule-of-thumb, when you're dealing with Norwegians. They are mild-mannered and polite people, in general, who approach life rationally. This means they have an instinctive distaste for big, public displays of emotion. Excitement and stronger emotions are allowed and OK, of course, but never let these run away with you, if you want to keep the respect of your Norwegian friends. |
| Cultural Expansion |
| Michael: Remember I mentioned the Law of Jante, or |
| Inger: Janteloven? |
| Michael: This concept illustrates a social code in Scandinavian countries, and is based on the work of |
| Inger: Aksel Sandemose. |
| Michael: He was a Danish-Norwegian who, in 1933, wrote a book called "A fugitive crosses his tracks": |
| Inger: En flyktning krysser sitt spor. |
| Michael: The book is a satire set in a fictional town called Jante. The story basically deals with the Jante community and their ten strict social rules, all ten of which can be summed up in a single sentence, which is that the desires, needs, and social status of the individual are less important than, and therefore subordinate to those of the group. |
| These ten rules demanded a certain code of conduct, which also sums up the unspoken dictates of social behavior in all Scandinavian countries. Norwegians, for instance, avoid openly promoting themselves or boasting about their achievements or possessions. In fact, they tend to be rather shy. Any visitor will be well-advised to considerably tone down self-aggrandizement, no matter what the reason for the visit, as crass self-promotion will not positively influence people or make you friends in Norway. Also, don't expect to win Norwegians over with a shower of compliments, no matter how well-deserved the praise might be. It will be met with a self-effacing, shy reply, such as: "Thank you, but it's nothing. I was just lucky": |
| Inger: Takk, men det er ingenting. Jeg var bare heldig. |
| Michael: And, if they compliment you, it would be best to just answer with a smile and a polite thank you, such as: |
| Inger: Takk skal du ha, |
| Michael: or the shorter |
| Inger: Takk. |
| Michael: Then, move the conversation on to a different subject. It's not cool to be overly proud of one's accomplishments in Norway. |
| This may all sound very restrictive, but in reality, Norway is not a restricted society at all. Norwegians work hard for social and financial freedom and success, and the country is known for its stable economy. Norway furthermore has a cohesive, connected society with excellent social welfare practices, and is considered one of the happiest countries in the world. You will be welcomed and treated well there, as long as you remember to remain: |
| Inger: respektfull og hensynsfull overfor andre. |
| Michael: which means "respectful and considerate of others". And don't run around naked in public! |
Outro |
| Michael: Do you have any more questions? We’re here to answer them! |
| Inger: Ha det! |
| Michael: See you soon! |
Comments
Hide